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Château Beychevelle

The label here is as elegant and beautiful as the seventeenth century Château itself. The sailing ship on the label is a reference to the history of the estate when Beychevelle was the fiefdom of the Ducs d’Epernon. The first duke, a French Grand Admiral, was such an important and wise man that reputedly every sailing ship that passed the chateau on the Gironde had to lower its sails in recognition of the powerful owner. This accounts for the name Baisse-Voile which subsequently changed to Beychevelle. Today Château Beychevelle is owned by GMF and Suntory.

When this estate gets it right Beychevelle produces a wine that has intensity and elegance alongside the attractive St Julien qualities – the complex aromas and flavours of cedar, spice, tobacco intermingled with blackcurrant and undergrowth. In difficult years however it can tend towards the austere and light. The 2009 was stellar during primeurs and 2010 hot on its heels, though the places have reversed since, with 2009 disappearing into its shell, showing inconsistency. Both the 2011 and 2012 are leaner, though the latter has filled out a little since primeurs, and 2013 looks to be a good effort for the vintage. The second wine is Amiral de Beychevelle.

2009 Mid depth; deep core; red fruits, little toffee, some tar and sap; lots of depth to the fruit on the palate with saturation; chewy and feels pretty extracted on the finish. Lovely and lush during primeurs, closed when first bottled and now a little disjointed. Some inconsistency here. Drink 2016-2030 89 MW Institute Nov 13 [Earlier note] Mid density; dark at centre; some cassis and lift; chewy palate but very closed; blackcurrants and some tobacco but far more subdued, more structured and far less exotic/flamboyant than at primeur tastings. Clearly this wine has tightened up during elevage and since bottling. I’d expect this to improve. 90-92+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier] Wonderful ripe red fruits on the nose; very seductive and full; very attractive and flattering at this stage; intense and lovely; wonderful fruit balance; again seductive palate; open and very full; excellent length. Tannin high but ripe and overall feel is very supple and round. 13.9 degrees in alcohol but doesn’t feel heavy. A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Terrific wine. 92-94/100. Tasted 30th March and 1st April ’10 UGC Primeurs tasting.

2008 Mid depth; some red fruit, savour; opens up quite well – blackcurrant seam – some stalky cool harvest Cabernet tones; earthy, blackcurrant cassis on the palate; little dryness here to the tannins but there is fruit. 88 MW Institute Nov ’12 [earlier] Some depth at core; earthy purple at edge; some lift and strawberry; quite elegant palate- not showing the intensity or depth say of Lagrange in 2008 – feels almost old fashioned Beychevelle. Bit angular on the palate with tannins dry and present. May round out but not amongst the best wines in St Julien in this vintage – or a patch on the beauty produced here in 2009. May put in weight in bottle. 86?/100 UGC Oct ’10.

2006 Good depth, dark at core and dense to the rim; some leaf and blackcurrant, elegance here, some lift with coffee and mocha notes, quite attractive; layers here; not the biggest St Julien but intense in this vintage; good attractive wine on the palate; mid weight wine with real pleasure and elegance but also inrtensity. Some cassis and resin – blackcurrants and rose hips. Plenty to chew on here but tannins pretty fine and well handled. Great length. This is a considerable success. 92+/100 MW Institute Nov ’10.

1998 Mid dark black, some tobacco and savoury notes to the nose; elegant palate with some austerity at finish. Good not great. 87/100 June ‘09

1989 Good colour; up to rim; fine St Julien nose with tobacco and cedar and a lot of ripe Merlot coming through; Palate elegant with a good long finish. Very good wine. 91/100 Sept ‘95

1986 Good colour; red/black with some mahogany at edge; closed initially but then revealed classical St Julien nose of tobacco, spices and cedar tones with blackcurrant fruit beneath; palate elegant with similar flavours; some unresolved tannin at the end but overall wonderfully mature and elegant St Julien. 91/100 Apr ‘09

Recent Comments

tkoby11

Jeremy I tasted these the week before last in the States and with 3 hours only got to about 60 wines total but was sure to hit all wines, sometime twice, that were of personal and purchase interest for me. We are fairly similar in our assessment with a few swaps between your level 1 and my level 2. Troplong Mondot, Pavie Macquin, and Canon Lagaffeliere were tops for me. Figeac was not showing well, I have loved this wine from literally every vintage I have ever had, its a no score for me to be tried again. Cab sauv in the C. Lagaf gave it a nice extra tannic beam of structure on all the lush fruit, Mondot and Macquin being neighbors and have lots of limestone soils are nice twins. I also think that Macquin 10 blows the doors off their 2009.